The EU baseline for every trip
This article is part of our guide to Travelling with a dog.
For travel within the EU your dog needs three things that belong together: an ISO-standard microchip for unique identification, an EU pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination. The order matters, because the vaccination is only recognised if the chip was implanted beforehand.
The first rabies vaccination must be at least 21 days before entry. Because a puppy may be vaccinated at twelve weeks at the earliest, it is only ready to travel at about 15 weeks. On private trips a maximum of five animals per person may be taken along. You can read more about the documents in the guides on EU pet passport and rabies vaccination in dogs.
Entry by country, the overview
Within the EU the basics are the same everywhere, the differences are in the detail. With the following entry check you choose your destination and see straight away what your dog needs:
This overview shows at a glance what applies beyond the EU baseline:
| Country | EU country | In addition to the EU baseline |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | yes | 13 banned breeds, register from four weeks of stay |
| Sweden | yes | customs declaration with Tullverket |
| Norway | no | tapeworm treatment, customs via the red lane, six banned breeds |
| Italy | yes | leash required, carry a muzzle |
| Austria | yes | regional leash or muzzle requirements |
| Croatia | yes | no additional documents |
| Switzerland | no | EU rules accepted, own cantonal rules |
As a rough guide: in most EU countries the baseline is enough, while Scandinavia and non-EU countries often require more. We go through the most important destinations one by one in the next section.
Focus on the cuddles, we'll focus on the costs.
Entry requirements by country
Denmark: entry with a dog
Denmark requires the EU baseline and additionally has a strict dog law. 13 breeds are not allowed to enter, including the Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro and several Ovcharka types. For the Pit Bull Terrier and Tosa Inu there is no exception. Dogs of the remaining breeds that were verifiably acquired before 17 March 2010 may come along with a muzzle and a short leash. Pure transit is allowed as long as the dog does not leave the vehicle. For a stay of four weeks or more, registration in the Danish dog register is required, and on the beaches a leash is required from April to September.
Sweden: entry with a dog
Sweden is dog-friendly and has no breed bans. The EU baseline applies, a tapeworm treatment is not needed. Important, though: you must register your dog with the Swedish customs authority Tullverket, even when entering from another EU country. This can conveniently be done online in advance, after which you use the green lane at the border. From March to August a leash is largely required in nature.
Norway: entry with a dog
Norway is not part of the EU and has its own rules. In addition to a microchip, pet passport and valid rabies vaccination, a tapeworm treatment against Echinococcus is compulsory, carried out and documented by the vet 24 to 120 hours before entry. Anyone commuting repeatedly between Sweden and Norway can use the 28-day rule instead. On entry you register your dog with customs via the red lane and show the papers unprompted. Six dog breeds are banned.
Italy: entry with a dog
In Italy the EU baseline applies with no additional required documents. A leash is required in public, and you should have a muzzle with you, as it can be required in certain situations and on public transport.
Austria: entry with a dog
Austria too requires only the EU baseline. Locally, the rules differ depending on the federal state; a leash or muzzle is often required, and individual states have their own rules for certain breeds.
Croatia: entry with a dog
Croatia is an EU member and requires no additional documents. The EU baseline applies, with a microchip, pet passport and rabies vaccination.
Switzerland: entry with a dog
Switzerland is not part of the EU but accepts the EU pet passport and the EU baseline. Individual cantons have their own rules for certain breeds, and restrictions apply to dogs with cropped ears or a docked tail. A maximum of five animals per person may travel along.
Customs declaration, where your dog must be registered
In most EU countries you do not have to register your dog with customs separately. But there are exceptions:
- Sweden: registration with the customs authority Tullverket, online in advance or directly at the border. Once registered, you use the green lane.
- Norway: registration via the red lane, you present the papers unprompted.
- Denmark: no customs declaration for a holiday, but from four weeks of stay, registration in the Danish dog register.
Anyone who skips the registration risks problems during a check, up to denied entry. So make sure to plan this step in firmly.
What you risk without a rabies vaccination or valid papers
If the valid rabies vaccination or a required document is missing, that is no minor matter. Depending on the country and situation, you risk denial of entry and being turned away at the border, a vaccination that has to be caught up on together with a 21-day waiting period, quarantine at your expense or a fine. In serious cases, further measures are possible.
How high a fine turns out to be depends on the country and the individual case and cannot be stated across the board. The only certainty: preparing in good time is considerably cheaper and more relaxed than any risk at the border. If in doubt, ask the destination country's embassy in advance.
How to plan the lead time properly
Most problems arise from too little lead time. With this schedule you are on the safe side:
- Book the vet appointment four to six weeks before the trip.
- Mind the order: first the microchip, then the rabies vaccination, then the 21-day waiting period.
- Check early whether your destination country requires a tapeworm treatment, and keep to the 24-to-120-hour window before entry.
- Clarify the customs declaration and any breed rules of your destination country in good time.
- Carry all documents in the original; for some destinations a certified translation is needed.
Focus on the cuddles, we'll focus on the costs.
How Dalma protects your dog when travelling
The entry rules are one thing, your dog's health another. With Dalma's pet health insurance your dog is covered abroad too. The cover applies worldwide except for the USA, the US territories and Canada, also during a temporary stay abroad of up to five years.
If your dog falls ill or gets injured on holiday, the treatment costs are reimbursed within your tariff up to 4 times the GOT rate; you choose 80 or 100 percent and an annual benefit limit from 1,500 euros to unlimited. Travel vaccinations such as rabies and antiparasitics can be submitted through the health insurance's precautionary budget (up to 100 euros a year).
Frequently asked questions about entry with a dog
Which documents does my dog need for abroad?
Within the EU, an ISO-standard microchip, an EU pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination whose first dose is at least 21 days before entry. Some countries additionally require a tapeworm treatment or a customs declaration.
Which countries have stricter entry rules?
Denmark bans certain dog breeds, Sweden requires a customs declaration, and Norway, as a non-EU country, additionally a tapeworm treatment and registration via the red lane. Switzerland also has its own rules.
What penalty do I risk if my dog enters without a rabies vaccination?
If you travel to Denmark or the Netherlands without a valid rabies vaccination, for example, that is no minor matter. Depending on the country, you risk denial of entry, a vaccination that has to be caught up on with a 21-day waiting period, quarantine at your expense or a fine. The exact amount of the penalty depends on the country and the individual case, so it is best to clarify the requirements with the embassy in advance.
Do I have to register my dog with customs?
In Sweden yes, with the customs authority Tullverket, ideally online in advance. In Norway you register it via the red lane. In most EU countries no separate customs declaration is needed.
Does my Dalma cover apply abroad?
Yes, worldwide except for the USA, the US territories and Canada, also during a temporary stay abroad of up to five years.
